Pull up a bench and sit for a while

PRINCETON — The Princeton Park District is launching a memorial bench program to place new benches along the walking path at Zearing Park.

At Tuesday’s meeting, the Princeton Park Board reviewed the new bench program, noting the memorial benches will offer people a great opportunity to remember and honor a person, event or organization.

Each bench will be 6 feet long, made of a punched Miratherm-perm in a hunter green color and installed on a concrete slab. The total cost of the bench will be either $1,585 or $1,737, depending on the size of the memorial plaque purchased to go on the bench.

On Tuesday, executive director Elaine Russell said the memorial benches can be placed anywhere along the walking path at Zearing Park. Currently, there are 16 locations marked on a site handout, placed in conjunction with future picnicking locations, future shade from newly planted trees and potential shelters around the pond, she said.

“With almost two miles of path, I think we will have plenty of locations for people desiring benches,” Russell said. “As much as we desire activity, we also enjoy resting and that is what these benches will provide, a relaxing place to stop along their journey and enjoy the outdoors.”

In other business at Tuesday’s meeting, the park board approved the budget and appropriations ordinance for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2013, and ending June 30, 2014.

As reported earlier in the Bureau County Republican, the FY 14 budget shows total appropriations in all funds of $2,971,950, and total new revenue of $2,004,080. The park district began FY 14 with cash on hand of $933,785, another $46,395 in the Corporate Emergency Fund and $35,000 in the Enterprise/Metro Center Emergency Fund. With those factors included, the park district has a total projected revenue of $3,019,260 for the FY 14.

The park district will live a little below its means, Russell said.

In still other business at Tuesday’s meeting, the park board discussed the recently completed Phase 1 parking lot project at the Metro Center, which included the removal and paving of the center island designating parking spaces for patrons and the resurfacing of a dumpster collection site on the east side of the building.

Russell said she is extremely pleased with the result of Phase 1 of the Metro Center parking lot. Besides repairing low spots in the parking lot, the work was able to get done in three days as projected, she said.

Phase 2 is expected to be done in the 2014-15 fiscal year and will include resurfacing the entire front parking lot at the Metro Center, excluding the semi-circle at the front door and the square area north of the front parking lot light, Russell said.